Retailer listings spotted by GoNintendo suggest the 3DS will vary in colour according to region.

A couple of antipodean retailers have popped up official-looking pre-order pages for the 3DS. Australians apparently have the option of black or blue, while New Zealanders can get their hands on red and blue.

Australia’s EB Games even offers a price tag of AUD $348.00 – about £220.00 and well below the £300.00 suggested on UK sites.

On the other hand, British sites are offering red, black, and blue. What price choice?

Next Month 10 games will release with the 3DS Launch in Japan. A huge rumour circles the cost of the games. Japanese game site Inside Games has reportedly gotten a hold of the details, which are expected to be officially announced at an event tomorrow.

The website didnt reveal which games were launching but indicated that they would cost a pretty penny. The site reported that 3DS games will retail in Japan for around 5,800 yen, which is the equivalent of nearly $70 USD. Don't worry though - even if that's true, you almost definitely won't be spending $70 per 3DS game in the US.

Current DS games usually go for around 4,800 yen in Japan, which is about $58 USD, but DS games only cost up to $35 in the US. Given that ratio, we might expect to pay around $42 for 3DS games in the US (if the information, and our math, is accurate).

It's all speculation for now, but we'll know more about the North American launch after Nintendo's media event in New York on January 19.

Famitsu served up five new screens showcasing The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time's heavily anticipated remake on the Nintendo 3DS. The game, part of a nine-title Nintendo lineup coming this year, is expected in the spring.

It takes 3.5 hours for a 3DS battery to fully charge, which is pretty good. As for how fast that battery drains, Nintendo has only provided a select number of figures, all based on the presumption you're using the handheld on a lower screen brightness level.

With the screen's backlighting turned down (but not off), you'll get 3-5 hours of battery life while playing a 3DS game. That number extends to 5-8 hours if you're playing an older DS game on the handheld.

Of course, the more you increase the screen's brightness, the bigger the hit the 3DS' battery life will take. While people will be upset that these numbers seem low for a Nintendo handheld, they're not that far off what you'd expect from a DSi, and considering the 3DS is a much more powerful device, all that extra grunt takes its toll on a battery.[Nintendo] Kotaku]

Since the 3DS was announced reps have been warning that the graphics could cause major eye problems to the younger demographic. Now "they're" saying it can actually benefit the same demographic.

The American Optometric Association still cautions moderation in 3D use, but in a statement issued today says that there is no evidence that suggests viewing 3D in moderation would have any sort of negative effect in children or adults.

In fact, the AOA says that using 3D technology like the 3DS could help uncover undiagnosed vision problems that doctors would miss under normal testing conditions.

Just keep an eye on your children, and if they start to experience what doctors call the three D's of 3D viewing - discomfort, dizziness, or lack of depth - bring them to an eye specialist and have them checked out.

This little article is everywhere. Kotaku, Joystiq, IGN, 1UP, Destructoid, GamesRadar, Gameinformer, its everywhere. Well now its time for ThePauseMenu to post it to the people who havent seen them.Its not mind-blowing news because the 3DS has been announced for over 3 months now, and the marketing is just starting. The real news is that a worker from an assembly line took a 3DS and snapped some personal pics of it and posted them on the web. Albeit controversial, its not THAT bad. But this is the FINAL look of the infamous handheld. No more promos, no more cardboard cutouts.Without further adieu, here is the eye-blinding 3DS

Is Nintendo about to alienate a core section of its audience? In advance of a special event for the 3DS in Japan, Nintendo released a statement warning parents that children ages six or younger should only use 2D mode when playing the upcoming handheld. According to Nintendo's statement (which is located here and translated by the Wall Street Journal), use of artificial 3D can possibly affect the development of healthy eyes.

Nintendo didn't stop there. The gaming giant also stressed that adults shouldn't play in 3D mode for more than 30 minutes at a stretch. The warnings are not blanket reasons to avoid the 3DS altogether, but these are aggressive statements against what's supposed to be the central feature of the 3DS.

Is this a preemptive strike against medical experts that are sure to weigh in when the 3DS is released this spring? Nintendo is often keen to address potential problems before they become full-fledged PR nightmares, as evidenced by the repeat measures (wrist strap warnings and rubber shells) to guard against flying Wii Remotes.

These eyesight warnings are rather reminiscent of those issued by Nintendo in the wake of the Virtual Boy launch, where breaks from the 3D action were not mandatory, but heavily suggested. That wasn't the key undoing of the Virtual Boy, but it was definitely a piece of the rug that was eventually pulled out from under the gaming device. Will 3D end up a curse for Nintendo after all?